Trivalent antitoxin (not Type A monovalent)	If someone has symptoms of botulism poisoning, they should seek care from a health care provider for treatment. Fortunately, medical treatment is available for this deadly disease. If diagnosed early, patients can be treated with a life-saving medicine called antitoxin. Antitoxin is
not kept in most health clinics. However, if needed, it can be quickly delivered to a doctor anywhere in the country.

"Usually theyre given antitoxin when it is first suspected they might have botulism. The sooner they get that, the better. It  doesnt make everything go away thats already happened, but it makes the poison, or toxin,  that is still in their body less likely to cause further problems."

John Harvey, MD Physician, Alaska Native Medical Center Anchorage, Alaska

	Doctors and nurses monitor how well the patients are breathing. If breathing becomes difficult, a tube is put into the lungs. The patients are moved into the intensive care unit and kept on a breathing machine until they are
able to breathe by themselves. After about a week, they usually improve; The patients may stay in the hospital for a while longer until they are well enough to go home.

If patients have long-term problems with botulism, they may have to be hospitalized for extended periods of time and may not be able to go back home for quite a while.

"After botulism I have been feeling weak, even my hands, even my joints. Thats why I quit fishing. I dont work much any more, and I dont eat stinky things after I got sick. I dont  like to eat it any more because  it almost got me."

Elia Botulism survivor

There are no home remedies for botulism. Some people believe that taking aspirin, drinking milk or seal oil, or vomiting will cure botulism. This is not true. The only available treatment is an antitoxin, which you have to get from your health care facility, and then supportive care.

A lot of improvement has been made in keeping people alive after they become ill with botulism. In the 1950s one in three people died of botulism and now approximately one in 20 die. Because people are aware of the symptoms, they go to their health care facility sooner and get the antitoxin more quickly. If they get help quickly, they are more likely to survive. Improvements have also been made in transporting patients to medical facilities as well as in the intensive care they receive at the hospital. The chance of surviving botulism is much better than it was in the past, but botulism is still a problem because more people are getting it than ever before.

The only treatment available for botulism is antitoxin, which is a life-saving medicine that stops the action of the botulism poison (or toxin). It doesnt make all of the problems that have happened go away, but it does help to prevent further problems. Seek medical attention rapidly, because the sooner you can be treated, the faster youll get better.